Sheriff claims deputies didn’t search lacrosse workforce’s private gadgets, physique camera exhibits otherwise

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC/Grey Information) - An incident that involved players from a university’s lacrosse group and deputies in Georgia remains below investigation.

WTOC reports Delaware State College President Tony Allen launched a press release on Monday responding to the incident that reportedly happened on April 20 in Liberty County.

Allen wrote Georgia regulation enforcement stopped a bus for a minor traffic violation with the Delaware State Lacrosse crew on board. Deputies searched the belongings of the student-athletes, together with suitcases with drug-sniffing canine.

“100% you may’t be in that left lane at all,” mentioned a Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy.

The workforce was returning house from a game in Florida and traveling by a contracted bus, in accordance with Allen.

Liberty County Sheriff William Bowman held a information conference about the incident however took no questions. He claimed that no private items on the bus have been searched.

Physique digital camera video obtained by WTOC, nonetheless, clearly showed the deputies going by the students’ baggage and even medicine.

The university president wrote in his assertion that videos taken by players showed law enforcement making an attempt to intimidate them into confessing to possession of drugs and/or drug paraphernalia.

“They didn’t actually ask us,” mentioned Sydney Anderson, a Delaware State Lacrosse Participant. “They informed us of what they’re gonna do and no one questioned them...we just let them rattle via our stuff.”

A participant on the bus requested: “How did we go from being within the improper lane to going through our bags?”

A deputy responded: “Well, he stopped y’all, he didn’t cease y’all for a visitors violation...he stopped the motive force for a traffic violation.”

Nothing illegal was discovered within the search, and Allen knowledgeable the public that he has contacted Delaware’s governor, the Black Caucus and different state officials.

Allen wrote that everybody was incensed over the incident.

Allen additionally added the following:

“We do not intend to let this or another incident prefer it cross idly by. We're prepared to go wherever the evidence leads us. We now have video. Now we have allies. Maybe more significantly, we've got the courage of our convictions.”

Allen concluded his assertion by writing, “We will by no means be bullied into believing anything aside from what we are: People, learners, lecturers, builders—useful and honorable people able to soar.”

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